Spirited Away II
by KitaxHaku
Summary: HAITUS Kotaro is Chihiro's adopted child. She doesn't believe in Chihiro's story anymore, but what happens when she's transported to the spirit world? Can she help Haku return to her foster mother? And just who was that boy who helped her? He was so cool.
1. The spirit world

Hello! I hope you enjoy this story! It's probably going to be three or four chapters long, but it'll be cute and cool. The reason I decided to make this was because I loved the movie, but wanted to see a sequal. So...this is my version of what would happen.

Translations: Okaa-san: Mother; Usou: No way

.h.

_**There once was a young girl...she was moving with her family to a new place that was far away from her old home, her old friends, and old memories. She didn't want to move, but her parents told her moving could be an adventure, full of all sorts of surprises.**_

_**But then, they got lost, and ended up going to a strange looking path way. The girl claimed that the wind was pushing them in, and that it would be dangerous, but her parents did not listen to the girl; seeing that she was only a child.**_

_**So they went in, and, due to a two faced statue, the girl eventually followed. Once they passed a large field, they came upon a seemingly deserted town. But they smelled something delicious; both sweet and salty, and the parents found food. They ate, regardless of the owners not being there. The girl once again urged them to not eat, but they were entranced by the delicious taste. The girl decided to explore alone while her parents ate. She came across a bridge, and saw a train. She leaned over the rails and watched the train go by. As she stood back on the ground, she saw a boy. He looked at her and had a worried expression. He told her to leave, that the bath house would open soon. So he pushed her away and she went to go look for her parents. They were still eating.**_

_**But because of that, the parents had turned in to pigs. The girl, who hadn't eaten a bite, was still human. When she saw ghosts in the setting sun's light, she sprinted away, hoping with all her might that her parents were really some where else; that they hadn't turned in to pigs. So she ran and ran---**_

"Okaa-chan!" A middle aged woman, about 35 years of age, looked up and with a younger child in her lap. The younger child, Sen (age 10), had a scowl on her face because of the interruption of her story time with her favorite person. The interruption had been brought from Sen's older sister Kotaro, who was three years older. Their mother smiled up at Kotaro. "Are you telling her that old folk tale of yours again?"

"It's not a folk tale!" Sen protested. "Mama was that girl! She went to the spirit world and, and---"

"I know," Kotaro said, rolling her eyes, "and she fell in love with Kohaku, the river spirit." She sighed and looked from Sen to her mother. "You know she won't believe you when she's my age. Why don't you just stop?" Their mother looked down to her hands and smiled lightly.

"Because...it's not just a story, my dear." She looked up at Kotaro, "It is my story. You may have grown older, but that doesn't mean that what I've told you is a lie." Kotaro took a shock from her light scolding in surprise. "I have met with Kohaku many times. Just because not all of them have been face to face, doesn't mean that it wasn't him. Besides," She said laughing, "Why would I adopt kids and not get married at all if he wasn't real?" The look in her mother's eyes was different, and a little frightening. But she only responded by turning away and saying that she was going out. Maybe, just maybe, the story could be true? "And you know what?" She added, making Kotaro stop and turn back to look at her foster mother, "At the bath house---" _Not that again. _Kotaro thought,_ not that stupid spirit bath house!_

"Sure, mother!" She said, letting her have the satisfaction, "Kohaku and Chihiro were sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Shaking her head, she closed the door behind her and started to walk down the peaceful forest trail. The old window of the house now fading behind her creaked open. Kotaro stopped and turned, knowing her mother had forgotten to tell her something.

"Dear, could you go and get the fish from the fisherman? He promised to give me some tuna and salmon today for half price!" Chihiro called happily. Kotaro sighed but nodded, and tugged at her pony tale made of stubby, moss green locks of hair. When Chihiro called out to her again, she huffed and threw her hands out.

"What?!" She called back. Chihiro only smiled, though, and pointed to her head. Kotaro blinked and felt her own head to see what she was referring to. When she felt the shining, purple barrette holding her pony tale up, she blushed and turned away stubbornly as her foster mother giggled to herself. "There's nothing abnormal about good luck charms..." Kotaro mumbled. According to Chihiro, the barrette had been made by her spirit friends; a mouse, a fly, a kind witch, and another creature called no face. It was made to protect Chihiro while going back to the 'bath house of the spirits'. Kotaro shook her head again and only huffed before walking forward. She stopped later down the path when a pebble rolled from her left, and in to her path way. She looked from where it came and squinted her eyes through the thick branches. The wind started to kick at her heels, and she looked behind her, only to feel a large gust of wind hit her. She yelped in surprise, and turned to the woods before taking a step. "There's no way..." Kotaro whispered as she took another step, "there's no way...that place is real." The setting sun seemed to help the shadows cross and make a path, leading her deeper in to the forest. When she reached the end of the forest, she found herself gazing upon a small statue with two faces on each side. One could barely make out this, but Kotaro was making connections between her mother's story and her current situation without realizing it. "There's nothing to be afraid of..." Kotaro whispered, "none of that is true...so..." She continued as she looked at the slightly chipped red walls, "I can just take a peak." So she started walking in to the tunnel as all light disappeared around her. She decided to run to the end of the tunnel because of the blind state she was in, and broke in to a field. She gasped at the crisp spring night's air before running up the hill.

_**And the one picture I always remember...**_

Kotaro stopped as she came to the top of the hill,

_**Are the lights that shone bright red when nightfall came.**_

"I can't believe it..." Kotaro whispered as she slowly turned from the lighted ghost town, and to where the field was, where there was now only water, and a whole new place across from it. "...the story...was real..." When a farie came and touched the edge of the bank, Kotaro's eyes widened. "Usou..."


	2. The run

The second chapter! Who knows what will happen...well, not me! Ha ha, enjoy.

Translations:

Usou: no way

Sempais: Upper classmen

Onegaishimasu: Please do me this favor

* * *

"Usou..." Kotaro said with wide eyes. She stared out at the large lake that appeared over the once-was field. "The field...it's gone..." How had this happened? WHEN, did this happen? Kotaro was in shock all right, but when she saw chicken and radish spirits coming off of the fairie, she screamed, running as fast as she could. Dodging the dark spirits that seemed to slide on the ground, she thought in panic. _Mother's story...it was real! _"But...what do I do now?!" Kotaro yelled. Sure, she remembered her mother's story, but how was she supposed to make a Haku kind of guy appear? What if she was turned into a pig?! "I don't want anymore body fat!" She complained before a strong grasp clinged to her wrist. She yelped in both surprise and pain before her mouth was covered. As she breathed heavily, she looked up at the person holding her. With an look, Kotaro took it as a hint to stop struggling. He opened his mouth, which was full of cracks (as if he had been running through wind going 100 miles per hour), and whispered to her in a young boy's voice.

"Don't move." Kotaro stiffened nervously as she listened to what he said, still watching his glancing eyes. The eyes of this boy held a sea of green; his dark blue hair was trimmed neatly around his face, but pulled back in to a pony tail. He must have been at least five feet and four inches tall, but he was shorter than the sempais at her school. _He must be fourteen or fifteen_, she thought before he looked down to her face. She blinked, recognizing his face. He let go of her, though, and smiled lightly. "You'll be fine, don't worry." All she could do was nod. Why was he so familiar?

"A-ano...who are you--" But a shreik crossed the air, making Kotaro jump. The boy looked in alarm towards the sky, seeing a crow like thing with a human head. "Ubaba's side kick...?" Kotaro whispered before the boy covered her. She stared at the bird of death silently as it scanned over the land. But it stopped when it made eye contact with her. Flapping its wings hard, it dove down towards us.

"Run!" Commanded the boy. Kotaro sprinted off, heading through the grassy plains between the cramped houses. She could imagen the directions in her head.

_**There was a metal door that Haku opened with his powers...**_

The door opened on it's own and Kotaro dove in quickly. She continued to run, remembering more from the story.

_**There were large barrels of sake,**_

She saw them and looked at them before running forward.

_**Enourmous stacks of fish,**_

She felt like holding her breath as she neared the big, fat fish,

_**and what seemed like miles of fat pigs.**_

Kotaro found herself stopping at them, staring while out of breath. Her knees felt like butter but the boy from eariler called to her.

"Don't stop!" He yelled, running forward. "Run! Run to Kamaji!" Kotaro nodded to him as she sprinted forward again, following her memories. When she reached outside, though, and didn't know what to do. There is was, the large bath house. The red lights hung everywhere, glowing as brightly as the ones in the town. Spirits were husseling up and down inside, she could see them as they moving quickly from floor to floor. Kotaro found this fasinating, but she didn't know what to do. "Where do I go now?" Kotaro asked, turning behind her to ask the boy. But he wasn't there. Kotaro looked around again and tried to think of something else she could do. "Mother held her breath...but Haku had put a spell on her...what should I do?" That was when a hand landed on her shoulder. She jumped, looking up to see a tall man who was probably in his thirties. Kotar's eyes widened as she looked at him. His green eyes and moss green hair were a perfect match. But was it really him? "H...Hak--" She started to ask before he hushed her with a smile.

"Hold your breath as you go along the bridge. Don't let anything startle you." He chuckled to himself before continuing, "Then follow the stairs behind the bushes and go to Kimaji in the boiler room. I don't think it'll be that hard to get work there." He pushed Kotaro forward before she could say another word and she quickly held her breath as she stepped on the bridge. Once she passed, she turned back around to see that the stranger was gone. She realized she was still holding her breath and she let out a sigh. She looked around, noticing no odd glances towards her.

"Ah, Kamaji." She reminded herself, looking for the small window her mother had mentioned in great detail. "Three girls stood in front of it...and Haku blew their kimonos up..." She said to herself, trying to calm down a little. She saw the three girls welcoming guests and the window behind them. She crawled by the girls nervously and opened the window quickly before falling in. She yelped as she fell on her back and sat up, rubbing her back. One of the welcoming girls heard something, and bent down to look in after her. She saw Kotaro now, and gasped loudly.

"A human!" She shrieked. "A human is in the bath house again!" She screamed. Kotaro looked up to see the three welcome girls screaming at her. She stood up quickly and began to run. She cursed quietly to herself before stopping at the stairs. Chihiro had more time to get down the stairs, but it'd been years and they were old. What would happen if one cracked? She'd be dead, that's what. The screams became louder from behind her and she gasped, looking behind her. There were lights coming through the thin tree branches by her and she closed her eyes, saying a short prayer. Kotaro ran down the stairs, unable to stop herself. She was too scared to try. So she ran down, in the end smashing in to the wall like her mother had. Quickly pulling herself back up, she ran around on the thin wood pieces. At the end of it, she could still hear the spirits chasing after her. She took off her shoes and her top shirt, throwing the shirt and a shoe in to the sea, and leaving the last shoe on the wood. She watched the two things fall down in to the dark ocean before turning and opening the closed door that connected her to the boil room. She closed the door behind her and ran in to the room with a gasp for air. There he was, like her mother said. He sat at his podium with a pile of dishes at his side. There were six arms attached to his body, and two little feet tucked under his chest. He sat up and turned to look at Kotaro with a raised eyebrow. He quickly picked up his knocker and slammed it down three times. The little balls of soot looked at me as well, not moving.

"Get back in there, or do you want to turn back in to soot?!" Kamaji yelled. they all floated back in quickly to the four holes in the wall, though they peaked at Kotaro in curiosity. She looked at them, giving a small smile, and then ran across the little space. Once she was beside Kamaji, she found him staring at her closely.

"K...Kamaji-san?" She asked lightly. He raised an eyebrow again and spoke.

"You smell like Chihiro." He said, sniffing her. "Are you from the human world?" When Kotaro nodded, he sighed a little. "Do you know Chihiro?" She nodded again, saying she was adopted by her. He spun his head around again. "So she's still waiting..." Kotaro blinked, and asked.

"Waiting? Waiting for who?" But Kamaji waved a hand, saying it was nothing.

"Anyway, I don't know if I can give you a job." Kotaro asked why, and he said he couldn't give Chihiro anything else either.

"Please! I'll do anything!" She said nervously. "I can help file your stuff everyday! I can go get your food! Anything, Kamaji-san! Anything! Onegaishimasu!" He looked at Kotaro nervously, not sure what to do. He didn't want to deny the daughter of Chihiro, but they'd both be in the death row if he didn't report her to Ubaba...

"I'll make a deal with you," He said. Kotaro looked up with a smile, glad he was going her way. "But first, you have to go to Ubaba." Her blood ran cold, unsure of how this would go down. Her mother had been saved barely by the baby's awakening, but what would save her if Ubaba wasn't in such a great mood? The small wooden door opened and the two looked down. When a girl about Kotaro's age looked up, she gasped, pointing to her.

"You're the human!"


	3. Fifteen year old Haku

* * *

"You're the human that everyone was talking about!" She said, a small lisp coming from her separated front teeth. Kotaro hid behind Komaji's pedestool nervously, but it did no good. "It's too late to hide! I'm going to tell everyone!" Kotaro gasped, and jumped out again to beg the girl not to.

"Please don't! I just want a job!" But when she looked at the girl, she was only grinning. Her chubby cheeks made the grin look even more obvious, and Kotaro 'huh'ed.

"Ah, so you can speak!" She walked up to Kotaro and smiled. "I'm Jin! One of the maids, you could say!" She bowed and straightened up again with another funny grin. A human! Jin was so excited; she'd heard about the human that had come years ago, but she never thought she'd see one in person! Wait till her mom heard about another human in the bath house! Even though her mom had left the bath house and become quite rich, she sent Jin to live there to get the feel of hard labor. Yep, that was her mom, good old Lin.

Kotaro smiled nervously back at the spacing out girl, why wasn't she mad that a human was here? Chihiro, her adopted mother, always told her about how she barely made it alive after meeting with Yubaba, and that no one wanted to be near her. But now this girl, Jin, was excited?

"A-ano!" Jin stopped laughing to herself and focused on the human. "You're not going to tell on me?" Jin walked up and took Kotaro's hand in hers.

"No way!" She said with a smile. "I have been waiting for another human to come; there's going to be so much adventure!" Kotaro smiled nervously, not sure if she was actually in the _**right**_ bath house. "Besides, Yubaba isn't here right now; I couldn't even if I wanted to." Kotaro looked at Kamaji, who only smiled through his mustache.

"Looks like you don't need that deal right now after all." He said, "Jin-chan can take good care of you...I hope." Jin only waved her hand at Kamaji, and smiled to Kotaro.

"What's your name?"

_"Mother Chihiro..." _Kotaro thought as Jin proudly took her from Kamaji's place to her room, introducing Kotaro as the human girl of the spirit world, _"I've made a friend...but I don't think I want to be with her...she's __**too **__daring!"_

"I want to go home!"

* * *

It had been such a long day! The sun setting light bounced off of the dim room of about five of the working girls as Kotaro sat clulessly in it. Jin had been telling everyone about the human girl, and Kotaro, unexpectidly, was praised highly by the working spirits. Or, more like the excitement from her appearance was praised. They constantly fed her the spirit food, telling her that if she didn't, she'd disappear. And not wanting that, she had more than her fill. So, by the end of the day, she had new work clothes and a full belly.

"I never want to see food again..." Kotaro complained quietly before Jin walked in with some more food.

"Kotaro-san!" She called out, "I brought you some more food!" She sang as Kotaro felt sick all over again. Covering her mouth, she made her way out to the balcony and leaned over the wooden railing, about to throw up. But when Kotaro saw the lightly blue sea, her stomach slowly calmed. She leaned over the railing and sighed to herself; hands hanging limply over it as she gazed at the light blue pool of water. There was no sea in her world, she knew, that could even compare to the water of the spirit world. "It's pretty isn't it?" Jin said as she leaned beside Kotaro. "They say that the water never darkens; that the water stays clear for all eternity." Kotaro blinked lightly, and then turned back to look at the water.

"It is beautiful..." Kotaro said with a small smile, "...but I really need to get out of here." Jin looked at her in sudden confusion.

"But...don't you like it here?" Kotaro smiled lightly again and laid her head down on her arms.

"It's okay..." She said, "but it's not my home...it's not my place to be..." She let go of the railing, slowly letting her limp fingers trail on it before walking back in to the room. Looking around at the silent resting place that they called a bed room, she sighed again. "I'm not a spirit...I'm a--"

"A human." Jin said, walking back in as well. "I know. That's why I want you to stay; it's so exciting!" She spun herself around and fell down on the stack of pillows that shew as supposed to put away. "Nothing interesting happens here...it's all work...and that's no fun." She said as she looked at the ground with a sigh. "My mom would tell me about the big adventure that the human and herself had when she worked here; that was what kept me from running away from my home and agreeing to come here in the first place." Kotaro lowered her eyebrows; the poor girl had been shipped off here! Though Kotaro didn't favor the bath house, she felt an obligation to fufill the girl's dream.

"I'll stay here for a week...a month at tops." Jin looked up with a large smile, the fat in her cheeks brightening up quickly, "and if nothing happens in that time, I'm sorry, but I'll have to go home." Jin jumped up and hugged Kotaro.

"You won't regret it!" She said greatfully, "We'll have so much fun together!" She separated herself from Kotaro (who was blushing from the sudden glomp in embarrassment), and then pulled her out of the room. "Now, we have to find you a place to stay." Kotaro looked at Jin in confusion. Wasn't she staying with her?

"Eh?" Was all Kotaro could say before Jin bumped in to a black blob. She rubbed her head in agony before looking up and staring in fear. Kotaro bent down to Jin to try to help her frozen body stand up, but Jin jumped up on her own, staggering back. Kotaro only blinked, turning to look at the pitch black body. It shaped itself as a long limbed person before it bent down and looked at Kotaro, who gritted her teeth in nervousness. She turned, calling Jin's name, but when she turned, Jin was already running away in silence; tripping over what seemed to be air. As she rounded a corner, the black...thing...shot its arm out and followed Jin until there was a shreik. "Jin-san?" She called out, almost in a whisper, before the black hand relled in Jin by the foot. She hung upside down nervously; her shirt only half way tucked in. Her bun was coming out; letting Kotaro know that she fought for only a moment before giving up in defeat to the dark person. Jin looked only in the peircing two white eyes of the black person.

"Kotaro-chan..." Jin cried silently, "help me!" Kotaro, who had only been staring for a while, snapped out of her daze and turned to the black person.

"H-hey!" The black person stopped glaring in to Jin's eyes, and shot it's neck out so that it was close to Kotaro's face; challenging her. She took a step back for a moment, but then spoke again. "L-let Jin-san go!" Its eyes turned in to cresents, as if laughing at her as it bobbed its head up and down. Kotaro felt veins pop out as she stood on her tip toes, trying to get taller. "D-don't laugh at me you big blob!" The black shadow only opened what Kotaro guessed to be its mouth as it sank its head back to its regular position. Jin cried out, calling Kotaro's name quickly three times before being swallowed whole by the walking black demon. Kotaro shreiked, and began to beat on what she could. "Spit her out, you demon!" The blob reacted quickly to being called a demon and opened its mouth again; but only this time to swallow Kotaro. She shrieked as it gulped her by sucking in air. As she fell down the bottomless pit in the black demon, she heard an irritated voice scolding her.

_**"And just who do you think you are, talking to me like that?!"**_Kotaro blinked as she saw only darkness, still. What had happened? She ended up fainting out of shock (finally, she thought; it had been a very scary ordeal and she was only just now fainting!). She looked left and right before feeling the slow steps of something large. Where was it coming from? She noticed something moving and narrowed her eyes, trying to see through the black coating that was around her. But there wasn't anything that could move out there; it was the giant blob that was moving! She started to scream for Jin.

"J-Jin-san? Where are you?" There seemed to be no answer, and Kotaro feared for the worse. But then, she heard soft whispering.

"I didn't think this would happen...we're done for now...maybe he will have mercy...oh god...why did I have to agree with the human?" Kotaro crossed her arms with a huff, upset that it was her that was being blamed on. But as she started to yell at Jin (who she still couldn't see), the blob opened its mouth, and reached down inside to get its captives. Kotaro yelped as it found her shirt and pulled her up by it. As she came out, she was hanging there like a doll; but a very irritated one. But the scowl left her face as she saw a boy sitting on the chair in front of her; his hands lying upon is crossed legs. The eyes of this boy held a sea of green; his natural blonde hair was trimmed neatly around his face, but pulled back in to a pony tail. He must have been at least five feet and four inches tall, but he was shorter than the sempais at her school.

"It's you!" Kotaro screamed, pointing to the boy still as the monster dug inside itself to retrieve the other prisoner. But she pulled her flexed finger back to her mouth, and tilted her head in confusion. "Wait...the other one had blue hair..." The other boy also had only a tank top and some baggy sweat pants when he had saved her; this boy had chinese silk clothes on! It was then that the dark blob had both Jin and Kotaro in its hands. The boy stood up, his hands folding neatly over each other behind his back.

"Drop them." The monster listened to the command, immedeatly dropping the two girls. Jin whimpered, crawling to the boy's feet.

"Oh young master...have mercy on me! I was a fool, a complete fool!" Jin kissed the boy's feet, and tried to blame the whole thing on Kotaro, who stubbornly crossed her arms. "The human threatened me that she's poor human salt all over me, and you know that curse never comes off!" The boy only looked down at her, blinking his long eye lashes in silence.

"You are a fool." She cringed at his deep voice, nervous to move. "You lie to me, even though you know of my powers." He said with a sigh, the chair walking by itself and coming behind him so that he could sit down once again. "I know very well what you have done to this girl. You tried to protect her, and keep her hidden from my mother's eyes," He said as she looked up with hopeful eyes, "but once there was trouble, you turned on her and blamed everything on her! Even after she tried to save you, you blamed her!" She cringed as he stood up to glare at her again, and looked at the ground with tears. "You find fun in someone's suffering too much, worker Jin." Jin looked at Kotaro now with tears and snot mixing in a salty mixture. Kotaro felt that she deserved punishment, but it wasn't right for her to be part of it.

"U-um!" The boy stopped glaring down at Jin, and switched his look to Kotaro. She shivered as his glare grew tenser. "Please don't punish her...she didn't mean any harm. It was my fault, I was the one that--"

"You humans never give up..." The boy said, flicking his hair out of his eyes before he sighed and looked out of the large window to his right. "Just like Chihiro always did." Kotaro blinked, and peered at the boy closely. She hadn't heard about this boy. The only person with long hair in the story was Lin, and this boy wasn't Lin! But she thought more and more until the boy stood up suddenly and stomped up to Kotaro. "You humans are so dense!" He yelled as Kotaro looked up at him with a blink. "I'm the baby, you idiot!" Kotaro puffed her cheeks.

"Well how was I supposed to know? You were a big, fat baby, literally! And besides, I thought my mother had taught you manners!" Kotaro said before blinking and wondering how he knew what she was thinking. "D-did you read my mind?" She yelled at him, half angry, and half confused. "You know, we _humans_ have a thing called personal space!" She said with another glare as she jumped up to stand tall over his crouched body. The boy only laughed as he stood up straight, and sat back down on his chair. Once he finished his little giggle, he sighed quietly. As he brought his gaze up to Kotaro, he glared at her.

"Am I supposed to care?" This threw Kotaro off; she wasn't expecting that answer. "You're just a little whimp...you're a shrimp in the sea." He lifted his chin up highly, and smirked down at her. "I, on the other hand, am the king of the sea," He stood up one last time and bent over Kotaro as she glared up at him still, "and you must bow down to me." With the flick of his finger, he started to control her body. Kotaro yelped in surprise as he body fell to its knees. Her hands threw themselves up and began to lower them down so that she did an unwilling bow. But as the tips of her fingers touched the ground, she refused to let her head bow down with her. Her eyes engraved a mark in to the boy's eyes. She wouldn't break, not to this boy. His lips turned from a smirk to a frown. Why wasn't her head going down? He pushed his magic harder on her, but she wouldn't budge. He thought something was wrong with him before she spoke.

"Is that all you've got?" She had challenged him! That scrony little brat had actually challenged_** him**_! It was on, now.

"Why you..."

"Young master Boh!" The young master, Boh, turned in alarm to the door, releasing his spell on Kotaro (who fell to the floor with a huff) quickly.

"H-Haku-sensei!" Kotaro stopped huffing constantly when she heard the name. Haku...was it the same Haku from the story? She sat up quickly and looked to the door to see a man about the same age of her mother. He stood tall, wearing a long, grayish-blue robe over white pants that cut off at his ankles. He wore reading glasses which told Kotaro that he had been abruptly interupted in his lesure time. His hair was stick straight, and was pulled neatly back in to a pony tail, just like Boh. While Kotaro was looking at Haku, she noticed Jin standing behind him, who was giving a small smile to Kotaro. Kotaro smiled a small smirk; Jin had gone to get help...maybe she wasn't such a bad friend after all. But Kotaro turned her attention to Boh now, who was smiling brightly. She cringed at his lit face; was this really the same boy who had just tried to kill her just to get her to bow?

But then, as Kotaro was staring at him, Boh's hair fluttered upwards, and turned the same color as Haku's hair. Kotaro yelped as she looked at him.

"So it _was_ you who saved me!" She said with a finger pointing towards him. Boh looked down at her, his lower lip pushing outwards as pink swirls rounded on his cheek. Kotaro blinked, why was he blushing now? But he only crossed his arms and looked away like a baby. "H-hey now..." She said in aggrivation. This kid had too many mood swings...

"Haku-sensei!" Boh said, leaving my side and running up to him with his arms spread wide.

"Stop it, Boh." Haku said as Boh got closer. Boh pouted, and dug his foot in the carpet before Haku sighed. "And stop acting like you're a child! Its bad enough you act like one, but to change in to the form of my fifteen year old body? Change back in to your real form or I'll call your mother!" Boh puffed his cheeks out and crossed his arms.

"It's not like she'd do anything anyways..." But regardless of his whining, he followed his teacher's instructions and transformed back in to his normal form with a puff of smoke. When it cleared, a tall boy stood in place of Boh. He had curly locks that hugged his face and a pony tail that looked like it had been chopped off with one cut of the scissors. He now looked like he was at least seventeen, but Kotaro couldn't be sure. All she knew was that this was he true form, and it wasn't half bad. He still, though, wore the silk robe. Once he had finished his transformation, he flicked his hand though his hair and leaned his head so that he was narrowing his eyes at Kotaro, who was moving over to the blushing Jin. While she only glared in response, Jin was nearly drooling.

"This is the first time I've seen it..." Jin said, "his true form...I'd never think I'd see it...my life is complete..." Haku turned to Kotaro and Jin, and Jin snapped out of her daze. Kotaro stared up at the tall Haku, her mouth practically on the ground. All these years she hadn't believed in him, yet here he was standing in front of her.

"H...Haku..." Kotaro whispered. She wished she hadn't doubted her mother.


	4. The black waters

YAY! I'm back in action baby! Sorry this has taken so long to get out! I haven't gotten on the computer for a long time now...I missed it so! -kisses the board- well, let's get to it now shall we?

This is about half of the next chapter, it's a preview for those of you who have waited! It stops pretty suddenly, but I think it can get you back in the mood! I hope you enjoy!

Kitaxhaku

* * *

"Haku...you're really Haku...aren't you?" Kotaro asked. She looked at him with wide eyes, the hero Haku stood in her mists. "I never thought you really existed--"

"Of course he exists, you dirty human!" Boh called rudely before Haku grabbed the back of his neck. Boh yelped as he looked up nervously to his teacher.

"Apologize, Boh." Boh frowned as he looked at Kotaro with a glare. Boh, apologize to a human? Never! But Haku's grip grew tense; Haku wasn't playing. Boh lowered his head in defeat and apologized quietly.

"I'm sorry..." Kotaro snapped out of her gaze and looked at Boh.

"You remind me of my sister..." Boh looked up at Kotaro who had a wicked grin on her face, "and she's only ten." Boh tried to get out of his mentor's grip, as Kotaro spit at him before spinning around.

"Just one spell, Haku-sensei, please!" Boh begged, still trying to reach towards the seemingly-snobby girl. But Haku only flicked his fingers and Boh was silent. As he tried to open his mouth, he was pushed down on to the seat by his teacher, and then tied down. As Boh was stuck there, Kotaro laughed before Haku came over. She looked up in silence now as only his steps were heard.

"Jin-chan," Jin responded quickly by straightening up and lifting her head, "find a job for Kotaro-chan, and let her sleep in your room until further notice." Jin nodded, and began to pull Kotaro out of the room. The human stared back at Haku as he turned to deal with Boh. When the doors began to close, Kotaro suddenly snapped.

"H-Haku-san! Haku-san, mate! What about Chihiro? Haku-san!" But he only looked at her in silence before the doors came to a close.

_**Dear mama,**_

_**I've met Haku at last...but he didn't seem like himself...was that really the man you fell in love with all those years ago, or has something happened?**_

.h

"You can sleep next to me, okay?"

"Mmhm..."

"And we'll get you some clothes, but you'll have to wash them yourself."

"Mmhm."

"Kotaro-chan?"

"Mmhm." Jin huffed her cheeks out as she walked over to the dazed girl who stared at the wall. Lifting up a chunk of her brown hair, she yelled in her ear.

"KOTARO-CHAN!" Kotaro jumped up and looked at Jin in surprise.

"What was that for?" Kotaro yelled back.

"You weren't listening to me!"

"Yes I was! I heard every word!"

"Then what did I just say?" Kotaro bit her tongue as Jin only raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, someone started clapping and the two girls turned around. Jin smiled happily while Kotaro growled in silence. The young master had returned his hair to the blue color, his eyes were the green sea. But this didn't give Kotaro any pleasure like it did Jin.

"Hello girls, how do you do?" Kotaro only folded her arms and leaned on her hip. Jin, on the hand, bashfully called out to Boh.

"We're doing fine, Boh-chama!" Boh paid no attention to her, and only stared challengingly back at Kotaro.

"Jin," She jumped at her name being called, "go get me some rice." Though she thought it was an awkward and random request, she obeyed as she walked out of the room. Boh closed the door quickly as he looked at Kotaro. "You've caused me quiet the trouble, human Kotaro." In response, Kotaro only picked up her clothes and put them on her futon. After that, she started to clean the mess Jin had made. "I suppose I could turn you in to a small, black rock..." Hearing this, Kotaro burst in to laughter. Boh, who took this as a surprise, blushed. Why was she laughing at him? Shouldn't it have been the other way around?

"You mean coal, don't you?" She asked. He blushed even more before she continued. "At first I thought that you were just a spoiled brat...but now..." She continued to laugh until Boh interrupted her.

"W-well you're just a discusting human! What do you know?" She stopped laughing and glared at the boy that looked her age. She was confused on why he was so angry, for she wasn't familiar with the difference between flirting and taunting just yet.

"What was that insult for? I didn't do anything wrong!" Boh only swished his hair in the air, his nose sticking up high, and transformed in to his normal seventeen year old self. After he transformed, he walked out to the balcony. The two were silent for a long pause, but Boh had to bring it up at some point...Jin would be coming back soon.

"Anyway, this wasn't why I was coming here...I...actually have a favor to ask you, human Kotaro."

"Well if you're going to be asking me for something, I want you to call my name properly." When Boh turned around with a confused face, and Kotaro sighed inwardly. "My name is Kotaro, not human Kotaro, got it?" Boh lifted his hand to his chin and then nodded.

"It's fair, I guess. A bit of a stress for me, really." Kotaro was going to say something, but she bit her tongue. "Well, Kotaro-san," Boh began, "first I want you to come here." She blinked, but walked on the balcony. Boh opened his hand and she looked down at it. He pushed it closer to her, and she lifted her hand. As she almost laid it down, she stopped.

"Wait, this isn't going to turn me in to coal, is it?" Boh rolled his eyes, irritated enough, and grabbed her around the waist. He pulled her tight and she gasped in shock at his tight grip. "N-nani?! Hey, oi! L-let me go!" But Boh ignored the girl's screams as he grabbed on to the wooden handle, and jumped over it with Kotaro still tight in his grip. Both surprise and scared, Kotaro covered her eyes immediately as the two fell from the large bath house balcony. But there was a large heave, and she was no longer falling. Kotaro blinked, looking from behind her eyes to see herself floating in the air over the sea.

"Your face was priceless!" Kotaro looked up to see the warlock wearing a large pair of blond wings. Notice how they were called blond, for they weren't quite white; there was a tint of yellow. As Kotaro stared with wide eyes, Boh continued to tease her. "That was funny, you were like 'no, no...don't jump,' ha ha!" But the only reaction he got was a stare from a blushing thirteen year old girl. "...Oi, are you okay?" Kotaro shook her head and tried to smile normally. How beautiful Boh was; his blond hair moved with the wind gently, despite his consistent attitude.

"That's right...you're Yubaba's son, so you have powers as well..." Boh soaked in his praise and Kotaro puffed out her cheeks in irritation. "Well, you don't have all of them, seeing on how you can only make wings appear..." Boh glared down at her again and then closed his eyes with a huff.

"I'm in this form because you're heavy enough! I didn't want to put extra weight on me!" When Kotaro was about to snap back, Boh let go of her hips, and she fell with screams.

"Boh-kun!" She yelled, stretching her arm out to him, "Boh!" When he didn't move, she closed her eyes and did what she could: pray.

"You dummy," Boh's voice echoed as his grip grew around her tightly once again, "praying won't get you anywhere in the spirit world..." But Kotaro only grabbed tightly on to his shirt, looking up at him.

"Don't do that...again...you jerk..." She said between sniffs and huffs. What a cruel boy he was! But the smile he wore seemed to have grown more gentle than the last time they had met. But before Kotaro could decode anything, Boh flew high in to the sky and stopped in mid air once again. "Why did you bring me out here, anyway? I don't think a joy ride is a favor." Boh ignored Kotaro's smart comments and pointed down with one hand to the horizon of the sea in the west.

"That is why I need your help." Kotaro strained her eyes to see what he was talking about, and soon saw it. There was blackness, a wiggling thing of some sort that spread itself over the horizon of the ocean so that nothing was left uncovered.

"Oh my..." She looked at Boh, "Boh-kun...what is that?" He looked silently at it for a moment, his eyes cold and harsh,

"That...is **Sin**."

"Boh!" Kotaro and Boh both looked up as a gust of wind pushed against them. When they opened their eyes, Haku was there. But this wasn't the usual Haku: it was the dragon, and he wasn't happy. "Boh...I told you not to bring her out here...it is too dangerous!"

"But Haku-sensei, I think she can help us! We can get Chihiro back here and--"

**"No!" **Boh was silenced quickly by the river spirit's commands. But regardless of the tight command, Haku's eyes glossed over some what harshly, as if he were about to cry. "No...this girl could never do it..." After a pause, Haku opened his eyes and looked over to Kotaro. "Kotaro-chan," He said softly, "climb on my back and we'll go back to the bath house." Though Kotaro's mother had saved Haku out of love, and purified the river spirit, right now he seemed to be returning to his isolated state, and Kotaro didn't like it. She gripped Boh's shirt tightly as Boh flew closer so that they could make the transaction. But as Kotaro looked at the dragon, she noticed the sudden change of his glance, and it seemed that for that split second, she was in another world. Everything was black, and small white puffs flew around her, chanting lonely phrases.

_**"We're so lonely..."**_

_**"Won't you play with us lonely people?"**_

_**"Where is Chihiro? Haku was lonely too. More...give us more!"**_

"Boh-kun, no! It's a trap!" She hugged Boh tightly and he flew back in alarm.

"What are you screaming about?" She looked up at Boh with shaking eyes.

"That's not Haku, Boh-kun!" His eyes widened as he stared down at the dragon.

"What? That's impossible! He's right there!"

"You don't understand...something swallowed him...something lonely, Boh-kun!" Her grip grew tighter, "And they want my mother!"

_**"We're so lonely..."**_Boh and Kotaro looked down to the dragon, whose eyes were now blood red. _**"Won't you play with us lonely people?" **_The dragon began to stretch this way in that, and it turned in to a black blob.

"What is that thing?" Boh said in shock. Kotaro only stared in silence, trying to figure out everything at once. It wasn't working, but she knew one thing: it was dangerous.

_**"Sen..." **_The two teenagers looked up to see No-face, a monster who had only a mask for a face, and a black cloak for a body. _**"Don't you want to be my friend, Sen? What do you want? Tell me, Sen! Tell me!" **_No-face dove to attack quickly, and Kotaro screamed. The wings folded over her as No-face hit. Kotaro looked up at Boh, and he looked above them.

"It has begun..."


	5. Continuation of chapter 4

And here it is! The ending to Spirited Away II part 4! It's not much, but hey, you find out more of the story, ne? Enjoy!

* * *

"Why are they attacking us? What happened to the real ones? Where are they?" Boh asked himself these questions, dodging the no-face constantly as it moaned and cried out; but Kotaro looked at the no-face, trying to grasp the meaning of its words. Lonely...no-face was always lonely, up until Chihiro came...

Kotaro's eyes widened quickly, and she looked up at Boh.

"Boh!" He looked down at her, raising an eye brow. The look in her eyes, he couldn't explain, yet he seemed able to somehow understand what she was thinking. "Let's go to Grandma's house." He ignored the connection that was there between the two of them, and stubbornly asked why.

"Why should I listen to you, dirty human?"

"I told you, my name is Kotaro." Her eyes glistening, she continued, "Listen, Boh. We don't have time for this. Haku is in trouble, and we're just floating here, bickering like little kids!" Boh looked at her quietly, but then closed his eyes. "Boh!"

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you." Suddenly, his wings spread quickly and he threw them behind him, sending them higher in to the air, and then straight. "Hold on tight!" As she did so, the blondie looked down at the determined girl. He had already been captured by first sight of the human, but now...his heart was pounding harshly! "Be still!" He muttered to himself, not realizing the girl staring up at him.

"I'm not moving!" She said, lifting an eyebrow. The young master blushed, and retorted back quickly,

"Shut up!" The two started to bicker again, but no-face was hot on their tail so they stopped quickly. Boh tried to throw him off their trail, but it was still there by the time they got to the swamp where Yubaba's twin sister lived. Boh dived down towards the house in clear view, but a shield knocked Boh back. He shook his head as he gripped it in pain; what had happened?

"Boh-kun!" Kotaro's voice rang in his ears and he looked down to see her on the other side of the shield. "Boh-kun, what's going on? Why did you throw me?"

"I didn't throw you! There's a force field here and it won't let me in!" Kotaro quickly pointed up though, and she screamed out to him.

"Boh-kun, watch out!" Boh turned just in time to dodge No-face's attack.

"Since when did he have a claw?" Boh said as he stared at No-face, whose hand was now a claw. It was then that Boh realized this was serious. He turned from No-face and started to fly away from him. "Kotaro, go talk to Grandma, and try to find out what's going on!" Kotaro stepped forward,

"But will you be okay?" Boh stopped for a moment and threw her a grin.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be just fine!" With that, he flew off, No-face still chasing after him.

"What's with all the racket out here?" Kotaro turned to see Yubaba's twin sister, she knew her as Grandma. She was a bit thrown off by her appearance, she wasn't the prettiest witch...

But she looked at Kotaro with a shocked expression. "What's this? A human?" Kotaro quickly dipped down in to a bow.

"Please help us, Grandma!"

"Grandma...?" She blinked, and then pointed at the human girl. "You're Chihiro's daughter?! Oh, I didn't expect you to come so soon! I'll go put on some tea!" Kotaro blinked as she stood up straight again. "Oh how rude of me! Please, come in child!"


	6. The Cave

"Grandma, do you know what is going on?" Kotaro sat at the table of Yubaba's sister, who was preparing the tea on her stove. She turned with two cups of tea and sat down with the young girl. "I thought my mother had left this place in peace...and that everyone was happy...but I come here to find so many spirits sad and lonely...and they're all calling out for my mother..." Kotaro thanked the witch for the tea, though she only stared at her dismangled reflection. "I'm...so confused..." Zeniba looked at Kotaro with a small sigh.

"I'm afraid I don't know much either." Kotaro looked up in alarm.

"What?" Zeniba took a sip of her tea and put it down again before standing up and walking over to the window.

"It's true. One day No-face began to behave strangely. After three days, he went crazy, it seemed, and started screaming for Sen. I had no choice but to throw him out and put up this barrier. I don't know what's happening, but I do know that beyond the horizon of the sea, there is something horrible." There was shuffling behind Zeniba, and she turned. "What's wrong, dear?" Kotaro sat in her seat, curled up and holding her head.

"What'll happen?" Zeniba blinked with her long eyelashes, confused. "What'll happen...if Boh can't stop this? How will I get back home? Will I ever see Okaa-san or Sen again?" Zeniba chuckled lightly before sitting down beside Kotaro, who looked up at her, her eyes filled with panic.

"You have too many questions right now, Kotaro-chan." The elderly witch placed her wrinkled hand gently on to the young girl's. "You'll be fine. You are protected by love, after all." Kotaro looked at Zeniba before smiling lightly.

"Thank you, Grandma..." There was a large gust of wind outside, and the two looked up.

"Ah, is it time already? My predictions are getting worse and worse now a days...I hate getting so old. Well, it was lovely meeting you Kotaro-chan. When you see your mother, send her my regards." Kotaro blinked as Zeniba pulled her to the door. She opened it, and Boh stood out the door.

"Boh! You're alright." Kotaro said, walking up to him. Kotaro looked up, noticing that No-face and Haku were gone.

"Boh-chan," The two teenagers looked at Grandma Zeniba, who was smiling.

"Obaa-san, that barrier hurt a lot you know." Zeniba only laughed at her nephew before he lowered himself to her height so that she could kiss his cheek.

"Be careful, and take care of Kotaro-chan." Boh nodded with a small smile before he looked at Kotaro.

"Come on, let's go." Kotaro nodded, but stopped to turn back and hug Zeniba.

"Thank you, Grandma..."

"You're very welcome. Remember to believe in the ones you love and everything will be alright." Kotaro nodded before running to Boh, who wrapped his arms around her waist and flew upwards quickly. "Good luck!" The two gave one last smile to Zeniba before they flew towards the horizon. Kotaro looked at the water below them and gasped.

"Boh! The water, look!" It was pitch black, and thick.

"What the--" Boh said as he stopped, shocked at what he was seeing as well.

"I thought the water was supposed to be blue, no matter what!" Kotaro asked as she looked back up at the warlock.

"...so did I..." The two stopped their talking when a black flash swooshed past them. Boh stopped, floating in mid air to see what it was that now floated in front of them as well. "Is it No-face again? Or Haku?" But it formed a face, one all too familiar.

"Grandma?" Kotaro said, shocked to see her face poking out of the black blob. But Boh saw otherwise. It wasn't his kind Aunt at all, it was his mother.

"Okaa-sama..." Kotaro looked at him, shocked.

"What? Your mother?" Kotaro asked as Boh nodded, his eyes wide. She looked back at the witch. "Yu...baba?" The witch seemed to react to the name, and let out a shrill laugh.

_**"Boh-kun, come with me! Leave that foolish girl behind, she can't do anything! She's just a spoiled little girl." **_Boh's grip tightened around Kotaro.

"Okaa-sama, tell me what's happened to you!" Boh said, his eyebrows knitted together. "Please!" Kotaro looked at the boy yearning to make it through to his mother. It was as if he were a totally different person. But his soft side was unable to pull his mother out of her monstrous form, and she attacked. Kotaro waited for Boh to move out of her way, but he floated, still shocked that his own mother wouldn't even listen to him.

"Boh..." He didn't move, even as Kotaro said his name. She looked at the approaching witch before slapping Boh's chest as hard as she could. "Boh! Move!" Boh snapped out hof his trance, but it was too late to dodge. As Kotaro prepared to be hit, Boh turned around so that his back was attacked by her long finger nails. She let out another laugh as her son arched back in pain. "Boh!" Kotaro said, looking at his pained expression. He looked down at her, blood trickling down his lip.

"We...have to get some where safe..." He muttered, gritting his teeth as he looked up, his face painted with determination. Kotaro nodded quietly before Boh zoomed off, leaving his mother behind, still howling. Kotaro looked back at her before looking at Boh. How could he not cry?

* * *

"We should be safe here..." Boh said as he weakly landed on ground near a cave. The two were soaked to the bone, it had begun raining as they were escaping. Kotaro let her feet touch the ground before she caught Boh, who was exausted and weak. He had been flying for hours now with the injury burning on his back.

"Boh! Are you alright?" Kotaro asked, looking at his face with concern. He was dirty and scratched up, he looked so much more different than when they had first met. His care free attitude seemed to have been drained from the fighting, and his glow was dimming, but regardless, he let her see his grin and chuckled weakly.

"I'm fine...it's just been a while...since I've used so much energy..." He said as she helped him into the cave. His wings slowly melted back in to his back, which seemed to pain him even more. Kotaro saw a slanted rock and she laid him down on his chest. She looked at the large scratch marks from Yubaba's own hands, and frowned.

"How could she do this to her own son..." Kotaro looked at Boh's face, which was staring at the wall opposite of them. She looked at him for a little longer before taking off her top shirt (leaving her in her undershirt) and patting his back with the wet cloth. He flipped over in alarm and pain to yell at the human.

"Ow! Don't do that!" Kotaro countered, already irritated with herself for letting Boh get hurt,

"Shut up! This is my fault, so I'm fixing it!" Boh cowered at Kotaro's raised voice before quietly laying back down. "...by the way..." Boh turned his head towards the human again, wincing lightly at the pain, "...thank you." He blushed at Kotaro's bashful gratitude, but nodded quietly.

"...your welcome..."

* * *

"This rain isn't letting up any time soon is it?" Kotaro stood at the edge of the cave, her arms stretched out in to the cold rain.

"Kotaro, let me have some water." The human turned around to Boh, who was sitting up with a badly bandaged back, and nodded. She picked up the bowl (that she had struggled to carve from rock) out of the rain, and handed the boy the rain water. He gulped it down with out a break, and handed her the bowl again. For a moment, Kotaro only stood there in front of him, staring. She wanted to apologize over and over again...but it was all useless. For some reason, she was afraid to say anything.

"Sit down." Boh commanded, bringing Kotaro back to the world. She obeyed quietly and sat beside him in silence. The two felt the akwardness and tension, and didn't know how to break it. Kotaro decided to start.

"Are you...feeling better?" She asked, causing Boh to look at her side ways. He looked back towards the wall and nodded lightly.

"...Yeah, I'm a lot better thanks to you." She turned to him in confusion,

"Me? How so?"

"Even though your home-made bandages stink, they are covering my wound quite well." Kotaro began to speak, but then closed her mouth. Boh leaned his head on his hand, looking at the girl. "What's this? You're quiet?"

"Don't...don't joke around like that..." She whispered, her hands curling in her lap. How could she have saved him? She was useless. "It's my fault you were hurt..."

"Kotaro--"

"I really am a stupid human--"

"Kotaro!" Kotaro snapped out of her daze, and looked at the seventeen year old. His face was lowered down to her height as they sat side by side. "Stop telling lies." She looked up at him, her eyebrows lowered.

"But...you said--"

"Forget what I said!" He snapped before looking at the wall again, "It's different now..." The two lowered their heads to the opposite directions, not sure what to do now.

"I--" Both of them turned to say something, but each stopped.

"G-go ahead..." Boh said as his face was painted with red.

"I...was just going to say...I'm...sorry about your mother..." Boh jerked at her words, but calmed down.

"What's done is done...besides, I get the feeling that that thing wasn't really my mother..."

"What? How can you tell?" Boh looked at the younger girl and smiled gently.

"The same way I can tell that you're not a stupid human." Kotaro blushed at his calm face, and covered her own.

"W-what are you saying, Boh?!" But Boh took her hands in his own.

"Kotaro...I never wanted to admit it...but...I...I need you. I need you to help me save my mother and the others...and...and..." The two gazed in to the other's eyes, and began to lean forward, but stopped as a high pitched voice rang in the air.

"Boh-kun!" The two teens let go of each other's hands quickly, and faced the entrance of the cave to see a young girl with blond, flowing hair. Her blue eyes shone through the rainy sky as she smile. "I finally get to see you again!" Kotaro looked at Boh, who was staring at the girl with a shocked face.

"W...what are you doing here?" He asked.

"B..Boh?" The girl walked over to the two, and Kotaro in turn grabbed Boh's arm. There was something wrong with the girl, she didn't trust her at all.

"I've come to get you, Boh-kun, my love!"


End file.
